Tonight we welcome naturalised head of Renard magdaléna here Ephraim the white
Wildlife Fund to share their knowledge and wisdom about how we can best protect
hole-Y.
Sea turtles so please welcome and Magda thank you thank
you. Thank you so much Danny.
So 1st of all thank you everyone who's here tonight and for watching those of you
at home it's
a pleasure to be here again we really love the support of who for our local
community and in fact our nonprofit is powered by our community if it weren't for
our community our volunteers we wouldn't be nearly as successful and have quite the
ability to do it we do so thank you so much to everybody as you heard we are
nonprofit away Wildlife Fund and I am head of an art this is Magdalena Kerry and
she is running our holy watch program where we watch over the green turtles and our
marine debris recovery program so cleaning the marine debris off the beaches when
the most significant catchment zones on Maui so if you.
Might remember this film red turtle rising that we're here to help share with you
what was actually produced by Jay April and don't ever go and get their
THANK YOU THANK YOU. We're so grateful for the work that
you've done and continue to do to help us raise awareness about our sea turtles and
their plight because they are not Rick. Havard they are moving toward recovery the
Greens are those are still critically endangered I want to talk more about that
after the show so I believe we'll have the show 1st and then we'll talk after that
magdaléna say. Just want to introduce my safe My name is Carrie just
from to 80 I've been here for 15 years and I just want to say thank you to T.V.'s
to make this happen tonight and you guys come tonight so just enjoy the movie and
we talk after Thank you.
At the time of the earth because. You. Would have
been stranded. At
a time when the sun was starting to cause the moon to shine. The light gave birth.
To the sea it creeps up to the. Creeps. Creeps for. Producing the family
of. Advancing the front settling.
Give birth to produce
a return to play in the city and. The night gives birth to
prolifically. To. Reach of. The
night gives birth to breath. The night produces turtles
night gives birth to her bed. The night gives.
The whole of his maternal figure she's the mother she represents the
set is always there. C.Q.
. The great. For. Generals never trust think
people should just get on this lead the people can go and people had enough weight
of trouble but if it other good fish but did not afraid of trying. To call them.
To give them this title of people because then we don't forget that they are hard
to get. People to see.
People because this gives them importance in our lives and they end it elevates
these beings that of human beings and that's
a very annoying thing to do as I say we come from the ocean so. You know you know
blood to us you know with food and share and want to help people. Up
until here. I don't know what other side but an all is.
OK if for you so.
Long ago in
a place called. Accountable woman taketh when her daughter the oldest need on to
the nearby pools. People could not find fresh water to drink and the children were
dying of thirst. It was
a time of soon. To supernatural turtle Smith and the sea.
Fight that it took me and I knew in. Church.
From the union came a little mermaid. No one had ever seen
a child so wise or so beautiful. The people gave her the name because her
skin was the color of brown to live with. Camilla used to turtle that was to dig
fresh water springs for the people that. She would often take the human form of
a little girl or
a beautiful young maiden. Play with the children and keep them safe from the
dangers of the sea. To live as a shy to her and whether she felt
a little sick to
a dive into the bay transformed herself that into her turtle form and swim in the
waters near the sacred place of her black sand berth. Now no
Wheelus troubled she waits for us for our thought. It is time for us to
return the favor for an ancient legacy is in great peril. Some form of sea turtle
has existed for that wooden 50000000 years. Did in an ocean that once teeming with
turtles. Precious few remain. On new or green sea turtle
is the one species of turtle most often seen swimming in feeding on the algae in
the near shore waters of the when islands. 3 feet long she can weigh 400 pounds and
live for more than 100 years. But she is only
a frequent visitor to the sands of the. As she makes her way to the sea she's about
to embark on
a long ologists journey. She wanted time to nest at the beach of birth 800 miles
west of French frigate. Escobedo what just the
green sea turtle sister sing belief this way sir she. Tenser attention to another
species of turtle that has lived here for millenia. The rarest seldom seen
and the most sacred of all turtles. And yet. Spills to.
The mysterious red total of.
The most tries to kill in all the world. Hunted nearly to extinction for the
unmatched beauty of them shall. Still turtles distinguished from other turtles
but solitary nature its unique diet of sponges and its distinctive like beak.
It is the most critically endangered of turtles in all the Pacific and is on the
verge of disappearing from
a birthplace It has known for millions of years. The
big island of Hawaii is home to the fire goddess pit creator and destroyer she
continues to forge new land the she pours molten lava into the sea it is here on
this burning island that the majority of known about spill nesting females that
still remain in the line waters born and returned to lay their eggs.
Because their numbers are now so small and so few they will need help in order to
survive.
And the end is
a volunteer with the hospital total Monitoring Program at Volcano National Park
during nesting season from June to November because she's part of
a round the clock team that keeps track of nesting females and watches nests. For
emerging hatchlings. Like at the gate at the Ritz the tunnel becomes reprogram
he estimates that there may be less than $100.00 adult spills living today in one
waters and less than half of those are mature females like most species when you
become endangered when they become very low numbers. It's very it's been documented
that inbreeding can occur and when that happens then you could easily lose
a population so we need to increase the numbers drop and at this stage when they're
only down to you know 3035 I mean you we we need to take some action.
Fortunately for the spill one of the favorite nesting beaches happens to be the
most food stamps in Haiti. This is coming from
a beach one of only 10 don't have spilled nesting grounds in the entire year away
and nesting habitat here at coming home is very small the entire betaking can
see is several 100 meters long however only
a small force maybe about 30 to 40 meters where that help off the vegetation
and meet stuff blacks and that is the preferred. Nesting habitat for this Oh no
with the Hawks mailed the rest of this meat just inundated by high tides and storm
way so it's just not that it will pass through. No real mess hall have an.
OK. Number 5 habitat that is shared with deadly
OK guys. Here's one to maybe caught for. For
a couple hours. The dreaded Mungo's is an efficient killer
imported more than
a century ago. Controlled rodent populations Instead it helped to devastate at
least native birds some to extinction if not kept in check it would do the same for
Huntsville eggs and baby things since the beginning of the turtle monitoring
program in 1902 more than 500 men goose had been removed from the area around.
And Mungo's not. Rats feral cats and the wild pigs also threaten total
nets so every morning and we have to check this this picture out there is trails
coming. Back there. This morning does it look like pigs coming and going in
this area the. Still quite they're not taken from yesterday.
We need to check it every day there's pigs throughout this area and likewise there
. They almost got to some of the turtle nests. As it's yeah I was
throwing your hands away I'm going to feel how much weight it takes to close the
door OK. It takes
a lot. OK.
So we say. We. Hope we get the door
open. Though.
For in the year and. Who To year old.
Night falls over come in. In the wee hours of the morning
a prehistoric ritual begins. A B.
And says to some of the Rise And Fall Of The Dinosaurs stews in the ocean depths
and the Burgess from the sea. The NAME IS GOING TO HIM UP speech and
returning to the place of her own birth she he'd subprime evil she cannot ignore.
Deep in her with Gillian mind she knows there is an inescapable destiny she must.
Give birth to those who produce eggs in the produce and multiply it. Here they are
only.
Looks like are one of. Them say. That What's the other number for you
think. You are one and I know this is the turn of from last night till you. It is
George Bonanno as of National Marine Fisheries Service wants to make sure he has
a positive ID. Since only one of the 1000
maybe only one in 10000 baby turtles will ever have to out make it to the sea and
reach adulthood this unaware mother would return here to nest 3 to 5 more times
this year in one season she may lay nearly a 1000 a C.
I. Think I once saw
a show with giving birth and there are all these jobs you know into the set and
they can see they whoever is of stuff are caught her eye is and you can see that
here is nothing to hide her eyes just see she isn't working where I
fell flat. And this is been oh oh oh cool.
GODDESS you might see their male turtles the female is that S.S.
More important as
a creature. In the hallway and chance of creation it is always the night
the night that gives birth to moves will come and go before baby things awaken
black sand to begin their predestined March to the scene. The little turtle goddess
to look bids us listen to an ancient refrain from the people there early Oh yeah
man whom they would. Really only.
Make lingers for track leavers born to some mill for the never upstream the female
for the broad stream if one is
a turtle living in the sea are added by the male is sadly I think. Oh yeah well.
This is what track to the cool. He said reverence for life and.
Questioning. What life is where it comes from and where it goes where
for more for example mines over but that's
a question when he does that answer just try to even bring up.
Potentially it's always there but it's the unasked question the answer to why. It
does that go over into the world they register how we're doing what we should
protect the Church of the it doesn't ask that or say that this is these animals are
worthy of our respect this is any of that at all this is the process this is the
result so be it our. Will made.
A lot.
More.
Common. Be
a calamity a color AMY A. Calamity a calamity
a color. A miracle a mediate call
a mediator. Thank
Dave brakes overcome
a hum but the night's work is not yet. Waits patiently.
As biologists but honest at times especially designed satellite transmitter to push
to become one of the world's 1st high tech caulk spills allows hopes that by
tracking her movements of the sea she can help them learn more about how to protect
spills and. It is not often that sea creatures take to the Nile and
released from her strange detention. Transmitter Tuttle outfitted with
a brand new intent seems to be to go to the sea but she'll be back 2 or 3 years
from now to try again under cover of night to nest on this ferry in the meantime
she will swim quite a journey
a journey she will share with all the world. If the
transmitter crew's plan is successful it will be able to determine the migratory
routes for forging habits and learn precisely where she goes after she leaves from
this to be sure they will learn for the 1st time whether. When hawksbill turtle is
a stay at home type both Voyager to the shores of distant islands and beyond.
As
a navigate calls the what is feeding on sponges and an occasional crustacean along
living coral reefs Hawks spills will encounter many forms of sea life.
Sometimes they will encounter their more social and curious cousins the green sea
to.
The limit there is satellite tracking of hawk spills and how he seems to indicate
then an interest in population maybe remain in the way and want to score on
Lifetime. You're right about that the try to where she is today now yeah according
to the last satellite radio in this settle this turtle is. Off north shore of Maui
How has this that's the 1st time we're finding out the whole swells move on now to
another island but it's still not settled with. Anyone who is thinking of
coming home to nest 2 on the shores of might want to think twice this once brought
on an expensive nesting beaches no stream didn't rip it severely you bred to do in
large part to men made classes beach erosion made worse by development to the north
people driving vehicles on top of sand dunes we're going to like to dig down it's
the existence of the road next to Prime spill total habitat. Road
but it's still that these 2 pregnant sea turtles since 1993.
Really believe he's the Jeffrey Smith of the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service manages the Chilean upon national Well let's refuge next
to the spill in that sting area. We're pulling over in the area where the trouble
is that you know. About an 8th of
a mile from the turtle crossing sign along the State Highway $31.00 North and this
is the area where
a large female Hawksbill sea turtle got to. All along the highway and she was
trying to say nothing here and you can see how highly eroded they are they're only
a couple of feet wide in places and no more than
a foot or 2 high so what's happened with erosion the high tide line is come
practically to the road that means the turtles are trying to nest the guy. Coming
in. And it may be that headlights are distorting them when they come up this close
but signing directly on. Me drawn more onto the road the sad thing about this was
it was
a 230 pound. Adult female and she was just loaded with shit
eggs in her better body cavity that where they were writing for the next nesting
cycle the turtles can remain asked the couple of weeks and up to 6 times in the
season they can lay a bunch of
a 100 or more in the last not only that beautiful reproductive age. Lost all of
their eggs but the rest of the season plus I don't know how many years.
As a sunset so been exceptionally cold so we see on
a beach not far away like my friend marine biologist and a Bernard trots
a transmitter turtle standing close to shore and in
a few moments and her crew of 20. 2 years will have the privilege with the city
one of the various sites in nature still sea turtle coming to sed
good name is such a shock such
a doesn't know or care about the erosion or the deaths on the roadway to night she
has only one purpose and scope cameras employed so as not to disturb such
a biologist how to bring the odd describes the action as it unfolds.
She. Is coming to.
Please she's trying to decide whether she was
pleased to see her heel
E.Q.
Come out of
a Cleveland
sleep so I called the cinema to come to
a hotly just so you know and she said Speak up to talk
Lisa See that transmitter that's where video
clip that's how we feel that she said this it's easy to keep.
This with your 15 minutes to some live to speech is great for the rest because it's
dark there's no gods there's houses but they're lovely people she gets
ugly all the other beaches are going to be right but it's clear
and minds she turns from
lastly
right up at the top of. This far away from the high tide as she can get She's
lucky this looks like just
leave.
Grant's contrast.
Loveless
. That took such
a long time. And half of the nest she's done.
Complete burial just says back suckers that's all she uses. For all that work to
bury those almost $200.00 eggs.
Sikes there's a branch in her way. It's an amp
a tree branch and all fallen trees. Too many of these alien trees and plants around
here. She's not used to. This really know what to do with that
so foreign to her she's going to get stuck. And I have to go I've got
a helper. There
.
She made it. To the wire crew we'll go
over here so you don't close your eyes or.
You. Will we leap.
On a relatively small piece of coastline near a national wildlife refuge on
a rapidly developing island only such and 2 other adult egg bearing would spill
females are known to exist with numbers that small Some may wonder. If it is worth
protecting the turtle at all. I think the word is respect which is how it is who.
He needs Majesty that each thing you respect within his has its own Majesty.
So you deserve that true me and I deserve that from you and so on and we
find if we do this. If we respect and show
it and do it then. We can balance I need
a yes with the other person this is just as we pass an easy Charles needs are in
real understand that eternal has its place so we expect its place.
Everywhere we look at the ocean we see living systems in trouble. Harry see
central to the survival of life in the sea. Where endangered when monk
seals. In the
birthing grounds of the making of
a cent will. The diminishment of losing more noble
and irreplaceable beings from going waters threatens the life blood of the culture
as well. And that's when the turtle comes to preach this is now all.
Right cool and that. Means it's
a pattern back the turn of pattern back is also Kanaka because of the
tattoo on the back which is where the back of the chief was always considered
sacred imitating. Patterns of the back to the shell is
attached to. Even. Died in.
That whole place just in the face of the terms right.
Scummy is. At the top of the 19th century at
the end of his reign the most renowned of all 4 way in chains commitment of the
great lived here in court on the island of lake he built his residence next to this
ancient and you holy temple at
a place called the idea of the church. His
beloved favorite wife prejudgment who was herself descended from
a turtle God. The story is commemorated in the sacred church and you look and
through the centuries. It's not just padded but rhythm. Movements
in fact you don't get patterns with movements there are very few turtles will this
known to exist in Hawaii and they are rarely if ever performed in public this is
because these are regarded as the sacred movements prayers said to Moshe.
On the island of mockery during ancient times there are many famous turtle Guardian
supernatural turtles that protected different parts of the land one of the most
famous of these turtles existed in the West. Along the beaches of kept the
name of this gigantic turtle was. A male turtle and one day while swimming
in the oceans between
a lot more and mostly he came across another huge supernatural
title by the name of. So great was these 2 turtles that they remembered in
chant called. All of the movements of the dance are movements of these 2 turtles
swimming in the great oceans between London. And more.
2000. EK Qaeda all
all the year or even all.
Ananda Elaine more. Qaeda.
Or kind. O.
. K.
. Plan need. A. New.
Oh no.
Even O.E.M.
Lead.
Oh yeah. Each their.
Turn
a whole new. Era. Even
. More police.
Oh. Even
a more open. We. All
kind.
Oh and I don't know. Who.
Even the 0. 0.
00. 00. 000 each.
Hey no no.
For the little one the big island of Hawaii
a painting of will and then hangs in the country club while looking out at the golf
course near the beach of her birth one thing is clear the poor little of today is
no longer the Palooka Wheelus time. Tour buses and visitors descend upon the
once deserted black sand beach and although there are still children to play with.
The fresh water pond will adult for them with your slippers sprockets now. People
still bask in the sun alongside the whole new green sea turtle. And despite
the sign most don't realize that it is home to the Hawks turtle that still comes
here several times
a season under cover story. On national parks Larry cut that you know
keep track. Of the islands after 60 days in commission period and maybe merchants
has been reported that. We should. Right away I'm the one that knows for sure
they're. Still stranded in that. The last thing
a baby turtle needs is
a publicist and then again is dispatched to the beach. Right
here high traffic beach and there's
a lot of pride in my volunteers here said that this morning there's. A pen
and I think that. He or she will show. Them to their belief.
Able to make it out of that stuff on their own are going to undo this make. It so
they think. That they can get out of
a really. Bad.
Several put a little residence hoping today remember
a time when they or someone you used to hunt and eat. In recognition of the
legacy of their beloved total goddess. The same people have become some of the
staunchest defenders of. Their.
Pals that. I. Have just now have.
My boy out of. My home I don't live on.
One. Of the children of to watch.
Others there for the baby turtles but digging
a roadway in the sand. That's things listen to inches long instinctively to the sea
with hesitation they know exactly what to do and they know precisely where they are
going there was no trial and error here no fear this time was I'm not afraid of
crowds gigantic places. Wants to feel the splats leave them no
just. When they enter the sea they already know how to swim and swim they must for
on this most important of all journeys the new born under its entirely on its own.
Alone and adrift in the best and unforgiving ocean no one quite knows for sure
where maybe when the him goes to. Perhaps he felt some laps of seaweed be on the
sidelines until he gets big enough to fend for himself no one knows.
Maybe hatched and is as good
a meal as any for them and he kind of voice that lurk in the deep the most deadly
and most efficient is by far the reef shark she and his cousins will terrorize
totals for their entire lives even to adulthood if the new survives and reaches
sufficient size it will learn if
a sieve measures turning perpendicular to the attack at the last 2nd to frustrate
the Sharks by. And although sharks are scary there is another killer there is even
scarier. A killer that is so very racial. And relenting that it now threatens to
erase 150000000 years of evolution. The ultimate predator. We
have met the killer. And it is us. Some of the killing is
incidental and see. Everything reptile turtles can get easily stuck
and drowned in gill nets ghost nets and abandoned fishing line. Some of the killing
is due to irresponsibility and out of sight out of mind mentality driving on this
thing beaches pesticide and raw sewage runoff plastics left on beaches and some of
it is deliberate cold calculated and on purpose.
It's illegal to transport this while it's illegal to take it you know feeling that
imagine bring it into the United States and this is probably intercepted in one of
the international airports. For centuries spills have been hunted for the exquisite
beauty of its shell the source of natural told to shut as well as for its eggs up
until 1902 the Japanese alone took more than 20000 how expose annually for the
world's oceans to make into ornaments and jewelry
a 1000 of these were juveniles like this one which was stuffed in the walls as
symbols of longevity. Although most nations including Japan are not
a signatory to world wide bans of the taking of spills these confiscated I don't
screw that illegal poaching continues primarily to serve Asian markets in some
places all spills are still being slaughtered for LET there are more oil to make it
to cosmetics and perfume.
The ancient ones also took trouble from the ocean but they did so in much smaller
quantities and do that state different circumstances. In the old days sea turtle
meat and eggs where food source regulated by
a strict couple were taboo system they were
a royal food was served only for chiefs. One chief on the island of Oahu like the
taste of turtles so much he had to spy on or turtle pond before he and his friends
to catch them and women and commoners however were forbidden to eat turtle and
anyone caught doing so suffered the ultimate penalty is death.
It is more than likely however that field chief caught in 8 green sea turtles and
spills probably because all expose themselves have been known to eat
a diet of poisonous sponges there are stories across part of the show that eating
the flesh of
a hot spot might cause sickness or even death. There are also of
its shell being used as
a medicine. When Captain Cook came to the weigh in 77882
took turtle from the sea to help fill the larder of his ships and provide
provisions for his men when he arrived on the island of CO he noticed something
about many of the women there that caught his eye they seem to especially revere
the turtle many would be adorned with this beautiful turtle talisman scar from I
would and would wear them in the manner of bracelets or rings. And although what is
an island associated with turtles another island is more known for its total lore.
As
a clan that you fight. A
mysterious and spiritual I learned of great sorcery and wisdom harbor secluded
nesting beaches that are home to the elusive. It is also home to great mythological
turtles turtle soup can literally move mountains.
And in the story of cutting and healing he see that story of where the birds of the
turtles I these families that live and the turtles the little ones who raise
Foothill. Because this turtle with its
flipper is still there because it creates and we find
a 5 to 75 years will create. That eternal quake so the
Hill. Higher. So you get these quakes that to.
The islands now and then that's because the turtle is still active.
According to the legend of the wind to make that kind on the other the. No kid in
the channel between. Love it was formed from a fragment of
a giant turtle that lived under. The. Molecule he is now
a popular snorkeling spot with sense of tourist go each year to experience
a dream vacation
a young juvenile school turtle narrowly avoids the accidental kick of
a well meaning but unaware diver. Serves his appointment metaphor maybe the.
Best thing we can do for them for the legacy of is just to leave her alone. Give
her
a full space. To protect her. So
get involved learn something Oh I do something with the environment but that's your
obligation now only as a hallway and as a local person as
a person who now lives here called this place home. But it's your obligation as
a human being to do something positive for your world and because you're here and
what you do something. On my back I carried you
across oceans of time I gave you the very land upon which you dwell
from my brain you took the pattern for your own. From my body you took eggs
meat and skin. From my shell you took medicine and
divination. Made hair Combs and bracelets necklaces
trinkets for your eyes to marvel. Plates from which to eat.
Trophies to prophesied your own long jumper to. Daggers and fish
hooks. Now that I am almost gone from you now that I am almost gone
how much more can I give you. You who once loved me
you who carved my story in stone. You who once sang
and danced my song. How much more do you want my cherished one.
In many of the world's great wisdom traditions from the mountains of Tibet to the
burning islands of the Pacific to the great American continent the world rests on
the back of a turtle we now live in
a time where much of the natural world is in decline and although it is still not
too late for us to. This is
a time that begs the question no one wants to see what kind of world would it be
without. Without. Complete
I. Mean what do. We need to do
to come to want to move. As me we're losing something we're losing.
Family. I think where we're losers.
If we did our world to the extent that there is no war variety but just us around I
think. Well
we killing ourselves in the long run we're killing us
too it should pay attention to what species are being driven to
extinction by over overhunting over everything.
There should be so proportional respect that we should just be feeding ourselves
very very destroying our food. Or our neighbors in space or whatever.
If we can keep the universe and I buy with as intact as we can we have
a problem with
a war very future then when they're all gone. Everything is. No
longer with us so the turmoil is one of those things.
Oh no. Come up for.
You.
Call me as there's
a late gives. And as long as we join together to make sure that states have
a chance to make to the ancient of the sea there was. A lame duck school turtle.
The mysterious red turtle looks like he is.
Also
a new. Turtle rising in the bung the sea oh we cherish your life of
dark and late cherish your breath your beauty in the late
your pattern mistress your red French. Your graceful movements beneath
her baking the world who. You can. Call for leave.
Hey no no. Me Yeah yeah.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah yeah.
But.
Then I think. Maisie. Was
a privilege to have been part of that and see all the wonderful faces
a beautiful voices that were captured so just
a little update since that was done
a little while ago just figuring out it was 20 years ago. Most of you realize
there's
a sense now. If seen the fence you might have helped repair it and so we don't have
the hospitals trying to cross the road and get run over on that highway anymore and
Fish and Wildlife Service is in charge of repairing that fence Now we did help them
for 18 years to do that all of our community members so now were are better there
but they're still threatened by lighting beach lighting and. Other
kinds of things that might have hacked them like the predators the mongoose are
still there so we're out there were camping out at night or watching over them or
protecting their nests we have now tagged 11 females back then. The hero is
talking about 3 bills that have been tagged and 3 that have been stranded we've
instrumented 9 that's it that's have how rare they are is that there's only about
one maybe 2 nesting per year and so we watch over those.
We know about if we don't know about them we can't watch over them so we're still
dependent on the community to let us know if there are tracks on the beach in the
morning we have wonderful people many in this room are you are those who are
walking in the morning to look for the tracks and then report them to us so that we
can go and watch over the nests and then we can watch over the females while she's
nesting so we're still doing that we've been doing it this will be our 23rd year
now here on Maui and you saw that group on the big island it's now. The younger
generation has come in Larry is retired there's other people like learning to PETA
who are running that project on have I.E.
Island where there's still the lion's share of the Nestors still the population is
fairly flat lined maybe around 100 nesting females and all of the archipelago our
work has shown that they don't migrate away they stay in the main Hawaiian Islands
and they don't swim away even to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands they stay
locally so they're more vulnerable to everything we do because they're. Only living
right near shore and in our waters. So I love to give Magda some time to
talk about the project that we want to share with you
a little bit tonight and then we'll take questions after that about hospitals and
green sea turtles but Magda's down at the beach watching over the green turtles
where they bask in one of the most important beaches in all of her. And it's here
right here on Maui and we traditionally don't name this beach because there are so
many people who go down there to see the turtles that it's become
a challenge for our community and I let Magnus because
a little bit about that but we might want to name it tonight just because we want
you to know that we are there we've been there for 10 years Magnus been going down
there and taking care of the turtles there for 7 years were there every single day
later in the day but only in the morning so I'll let Magnus share a little
a bit about that project what we're watching over the green as we do watch over the
nesting greens as well we do have 2 green sea turtle Nestle ready this summer we're
watching over so I'll let Maggie speak about the Greens her hone and thank you and
. Thank you guys enjoy the movie tonight and thank you A.J.
. I've been working for life on for 7 years now and.
So the beach is
a Hokie but I'm sure you guys been there and we need of you gets been there. Yes
touch their own if you pass that I. Just want to share my experience been there for
7 years and how to work with the community how to balance a visitor and
a community. This beach is very popular for surfing guy surfing
snorkeling and it's also
a beautiful beach that the community the community enjoy. So we get
a lot of visitors on the beach so we can speak 62 to 300 people
a day but the most we got it with last year was 60600 people
so we being collecting data since 2008 in how we weigh life own name 150 turtles
so since 2008 the population is growing so the most we see year on the beach is 185
. So more people on the beach so we try to.
Make happy both the community and if you see here so
a visitor just come on the beach we all know we have all this sign on the beach for
them is not enough clear for them so the community deal with wall for us is illegal
so we still look forward the law so the law in Hawaii is 15 feet.
And
a whole keep by it's not easy to get 15 feet so yet so many people we had people that
cross the line to go is
a public beach so people are allowed to go any beach so we try to educate the
visitor how to help us so we have busier I don't want to listen and what we do we
just like the movie say their share. In these 2 had to
respect and that's all we do so we have some attitude you know gauges more and more
and we just. Stay calm and then been training with Hannah I just want to sit thank
you we all her I thing we get she been we've been training so well and we
L.D.S. Protecting the turtle is a lot
a spirit and share. To teach us
a lot about patients and how to be yet how to be with people how to talk
and is no easy because it's hot and if you guys want to looking for us is we have
we have
a blue shirt and it's hot it's it's sometimes very we get like big
surf like 30 feet waves foot waves and then we always on the beach something we're
on the top because it's. It's very heights I some people just come
late they don't know what to do to lose the bag lose sleepers and we dare to tell
them because he had to be stay up to the nobody listened and that's what happened
so yeah we had to be there every day but we give all the time we have interesting
come from different country try to come here and learn. Knowledge and culture and
that's all we do and we feel we know have value. In. The
most a person is. It's not just
a visitor we have the community of these beaches that go every day fishing and
diving and the beach is the exits so what we do ages can you should example
to the visitor and if you know the largest share. With the law here and
then share that's the whole keep I mean is where coming in I know is to love both
side the ocean and. The ANA and for me it's been working for 7
years I learned
a lot is yet is is no easy is very challenging
but I love it because I was channelling and the little she gave to teach educate
respect visitor calm to give it back to them but the respect and then.
Community is just had to work together to make people happy to to educate nice to
to the visitor and we work on that Avery day is no easy. Yet we
these come visit that's. Chance but we need people on the beach and right now we
have a nesting season so. Just visit our website we have Facebook we need
a lot of body to to help us it is no easy I love it
safe he gets care very much so please just check it out and come join us.
Thank you. I just have
a strong accent so I speak French and they share. Any
question you get. I was wondering what happened between having 35 of the red
turtles who give birth to 200 at one time what happens to all those babies.
Right through is an experience so maybe she's like
a green sea turtle. And then the green steel can make 180 to 200
but the Hawks abilities so that hospitals I think what you're getting at is how
many survive. So you heard what you said one in
1000 or one in 10000 maybe survive to adulthood so when we look at the
ocean today. Aside from from predators that are
a natural part of the ecosystem like all the marine life that were shown in the
film and some of the land based predators like that are native to this place like
crabs those that are not like mongoose they're going to eat their eggs before they
even develop but once they get in the ocean what is
a big problem anybody no. NET
plastics plastics. Would say. Here.
Oh do you mean to hand you that Mike. High on the west
side of Maui. I've been swimming there snorkeling for about 5 years so I've seen
the changes of the sea life and I've been with them when they have their tumors and
you know they can't open their mouths or they are missing part of their. Limbs you
know the sea turtle most people don't know that they're the recycler of the ocean
like
a whale is out in you know in the main part but they're close to the sure so you
know they're eating the plastic so I swam next to one that ate
a jellyfish that I didn't see him because I was trailing and giving the sea turtle
some space. And then she also ate the plastic and she also had
fishing hooks and her she had one in her arm. One and her neck
so discarded fishing lines. What else was it again say about it's
so I'm entering this young lady's question so plastics are
a significant problem right because they're they're feeding on the plastic they're
accidentally consuming it as well as mistaking it for their prey but it's in more
in the very small phase the post hatchling phase when they're just coming out of
the nest and they're spending their 1st maybe 8 to 10 years of their lives near
shore what we're finding with oxbows is they don't tend to migrate away we've found
evidence that they're staying closer to shore than maybe some of the species do and
we're finding with stranded animals that they are consuming plastics in
a very young face so they may be dying because the plastic is displacing food and
causing them to not have enough fluids as well as desiccation So it could be that
is
a problem but it's all the other things is getting in Tangled the net it's not easy
to be
a turtle in this world that an easy being green or green turtles so there's lots of
threats there's also the changing water temperature our ocean is warming up and
we're seeing a change in the sex ratio so now we've got a lot more
a much higher percentage closer to 90 percent in some cases of the of the nest
composition is female so we're going to see another shift because of that then
there's also the loss of nesting beaches so we've got an increase in our green
turtles now happening but the future is very uncertain for greens because we've
lost one of the most important nesting beaches it's pretty well in tatters Easter
Island up in French frigate shoals was destroyed by Hurricane Wilma last October so
it's there but it's it's
a shadow of its former self so we really don't know what the future holds for
turtles with the loss of nesting habitat forging habitat tumors in the green
turtles and all of these things that so the chances of of growing up to adulthood
are probably less than one when this film was made 20 years ago. Yes Did that
answer your question.
Thank you for doing all of that how can the community help and secondly are you
government funded how do you get your funds I mean anything around to place great
questions thank you so the community can help by volunteering as Magda said Come
and join us we have need for volunteers to help us on the beaches there's
a lot of beaches that have basking turtles now not just that one that we named
earlier and so there's
a problem with people getting too close and disturbing them and harassing them back
into the water not realizing that the love for the turtles can cause them to be
displaced from their preferred habitat so we're trying to teach people how to
behave and share the beach that's the main thing so we want all of you to know that
you can help even if you don't join us on the beach give turtle space if you see
them in the water or if you see them on land give them as Magda said about 15 feet
10 to 15 feet is our recommendation it is illegal to harass and disturb any sea
turtles and U.S.
Waters or on the beaches so. If you cause them to leave the habitat that they're in
that can be considered disturbance then of course we certainly could use help with
with support from lots of different angles whether you have skills that you want to
contribute to us with helping us with social media campaigns or donating to our
cause we have
a website you can find more out about us and our needs and how to help us that way
as well. And the government funding Oh thank you for that reminder So we've lost
government funding the government ministration has changed as you know and now
there is no longer funding for us we had been funded by the government agencies to
do the kind of work that they do to manage the turtles and protect them because
they don't have the resource. And now priorities have changed and we're no longer
funded at all by the government agencies that are tasked with managing the species
because there's others that they've changed priorities and have to rearrange their
funding to support so we we we need help we need help from good people caring
people to support our work everybody can help if they want any any amount helps.
Mahalo to 2 questions related only because they relate to the whole new so the 1st
is on the big island where last year's rift eruptions damaging to any of the
nesting areas for the green for the Hawks bills there on the Big Island question is
you know 10 years ago we never saw I never saw turtles at the Camay only beach
parks here over the last 5 years it seems to me like I see more
and more. Of the green sea turtles at the camp at the cam $12.00 and $3.00
and is that is that true of the population is increasing at the beach parks.
So the green sea population is growing everywhere not just on the south
a mile we'll one Highness I was also on
a no show so if she see one of these just because. Maybe nobody was on the beach
and didn't stay longer when because the population is so big in
a so when people go hike walk on
a beach to stay so they going to be leaving on the beach go back on the ocean and I
believe yet the green sea population is
a growing so like on in the show to keep. Sayin baby
beach so that it took
a don't stay longer because people go hike walk on the beach and dog. If you see
anybody to school clothes just take Beecher in like
a educated guess tonight maybe you can share that we have a lot
a lot of people don't know the law and what to do with you know when you see that
the movie shoot and I hate those border too little when you close to them
a just the way how you. Friend it. Like 30 to one year is beautiful but
try. On
a dress that Red Sonja So actually we did a survey we have a branch
a Wildlife Fund has
a group on the Big Island based on what ya'll and as well and we did do
a survey of that area because there were so many people who were concerned about
the turtles that were trapped seemed to be
a trapped in in hot water literally and so we did do some aerial surveys in that in
that region and by the time we were able to secure the access to the air because it
wasn't you know open for
a while it didn't we couldn't document any major change or metered stranding events
probably some turtles there were some some social media footage that was posted of
look like
a turtle in water that was probably too hot to be healthy so there may have been
some that didn't make it because of
a flow for the nesting habitat there was actually the group was that manages that
beach coming how many were not able to access it as well and they've they've been
working more and more through the rest of this past spring trying to catch up and
see what's going on out there and so we haven't heard of any major loss of nesting
habitat due to the sun and the flow but there's definitely been some
impacts at the time of the flow but most for the most part it happened in such
a way that and. Could get out of the way and that's that's part of the natural
system so you know if they have these kind of going to flow with and then you know
you get out of
a way hope the wildlife does that to. Have. A Hi Thanks for all your great.
I'm wondering how come there isn't more in Foresman around fines for people who get
too close to the Turtles and harass the turtles and the dogs I mean I can't go for
a walk on the beach and not see somebody too close to
a turtle on the north shore it's all the time it's pervasive and I'll tell you
I've tried to talk to people nicely and gotten so much heat like I don't even try
anymore so is there any that it mean if people are being fined that would also
raise money in another kind of idea I had is how about something on air lines
before that are coming in to Hawaii to educate people about the 10 foot $1015.00
foot rule for turtles on every airlines so people know.
Yeah thank you and I hear you I I feel you there is that frustration of feeling
like people are getting so close to the Turtles and Magnus certainly experiences
that working down there at that very important beach so the truth is the
agency that is tasked with enforcing harassment to turtles fish and wildlife
service and nationally Fishery Service but predominantly it's U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. They do need to be called and have photos taken if
they're going to. Do an enforcement action so does the partner of land and natural
resources they could actually be involved as well and what we've learned over the
course of the 10 years that we've been involved in doing this work just for the
basking issue is that. With enforcement situations that education is key
and it's difficult to enforce. When.
There's people who are actually poaching turtles in some parts of. The Pacific and
taking endangered species in and trafficking and wildlife it is considered there
has to be an egregious case quite often established there needs to be
a clear demonstration of harassment it's difficult on the other hand if enough
people feel like there's harassment going on all the time and complain then we can
get in Foresman officers down and to be present more often and that's probably the
next step that needs to happen is to get that just guys out there more of the
Foresman officers out watching but harassment is
a difficult thing it's these animals are habituated
a lot of them and they may not move if you get You see people getting close to them
with dogs or walking by they might not appear to be disturbed and so it's
a difficult thing sometimes to prove disturbance and it may be that it's more
effective in a lot of times many people just don't realize that there's
a turtle on the beach it might even not see it or they think it just doesn't matter
they might not realize that it is it is exhibiting stress internally and we just
can't see it we're not measuring it but it it might be displaced from that area so
we tell people they may not be afraid of us but they can be annoyed they can be
stressed they can be displaced from preferred habitat and that's why we're asking
people for 10 to 15 feet 10 to 15 feet is not written into the law in the under the
Endangered Species Act It's not a distance it's it's
a type of disturbance so we have to be very clear how we are interpreting the law
and it's not just us it's. Enforcement enforcement agencies have to be called in so
we're working on that but we depend on your help to if you see
a situation and you want to take pictures and send them into the department of land
and natural resources don't care Department of Conservation or resource enforcement
that's who I would I would start just letting them know you're seeing things and
you want some action taken that's the best way to do it where our main job is what
we're doing down there on the beaches is trying to educate not so much and act any
kind of in force met because we're not enforcement officers to. This we see
a lot of people. Want to give it.
You know we have
a lot of people don't. Let me share with you and example. Who was tough.
It was
a local. Resident. It was 102 on the beach it
was and said time it was the 50 people watching the guys going closer to 2 little
wake up auditor with his stick. So and we did dog
a little she washing. And he woke up about a turtle but it took I did
a movie so I just lay him like OK ways going to do and be prepare what to do
because he's also old person so we do have
a respect for people at the stage so what idea went to see him hey if you leave you
should example you get 50 people over there that watching you take
a picture of you and you can say to them we know doing our job but please just come
back to. Behind
a line so you don't want to move he just gave that it to you and then what I did I
just grabbed the dog with me and I said when you follow me and I want to talk to
you over there and he didn't follow me because I had the dog. And he did he can't
see me and I may say you know and it turns sheer on his chest and they say you know
I don't think. You understand there we'd be you know we'd be happy we're doing it's
a need respect and if you see that. Was mean here is like respect animals
yeah Sammy and. Be happy what are you doing and.
He just grabbed me in his arm and then he said his very sorry and
then very embarrassed him in front of people I say Yeah because they all visitor
and a year and we hear you Kate so and he was
a kid just give it back. The dog he went. And
then the visitor. Is
this I had to be very patient because. Number one they don't know about the law
they very exciting they have keys do they want to be closer to turtles and big
voice so for me once
a big voice is that I need to stay calm and how to talk to people and I did.
Keep my time to touch it took on this big family and for me English is no easy and
very frustrating mix is French the Asian whatever so silky I had to come down and I
went to see the mom and they say no you have. And we here to educate to you my to
respect we now have
a rule but the law exists you know just give 15 Sheryl can stretch the truth escape
the turbos she say oh I pay 5000 to be on Maui and they pay
a lot I'll tell everything I said to and in so I took to
the house then the wife crossed the line with it to sit over there to write
a letter notes on the meat and I took the house and he has and I say this is your
wife they should talk to you like this I say just this example it's late house
would be in the house. Do you mean to help me because this is no respect for
a name we have so much people so what he say just said because people go in the
water swimming. And I say I do agree I do have we here
to not bother to
a day just school in the beach but your wife and your kids did your kids to be
closer to tourists so this is why it make me. And I keep going with
nothing he said go see my wife is all right so I went to see the wife I see all
right yet you say you're keyed into the line in I need to explain to you guys and
she did have respect because everybody was Jani to her visitor the local and her
like the keys was the Keys 1st who went to the line she to be sure she went back
again to be sure and I say I can't argue with you we don't know this attitude here
and there we just do it is to have to respect the kids one with the. Keys when they
left and the mom just swallow him so I just said this is why I love to do the job
is just when somebody comes don't have respect and want to give it back what they
learn is that's very challenging. So I think you've gotten the point
that like Dr Johnson said in the film it's about who he it's about respect teaching
respect so that's the main concept that we try to share teaching respect
respect the turtles and share the beach all of us need to be able to access the
water and not disturb the turtles to do that so we're not saying people shouldn't
be on the beach we're just calling for mutual respect and that's just how you do
sensible wildlife healing so that's what we're teaching. Thank you so
much for all your good questions and for your time tonight we appreciate your time
and all of you who've helped us I can just see
a show of hands how many helped out with our turtle projects over the years. Yeah
a lot of you said thank you and and if you haven't you can come and join us and
help us we still need help.
Thank you.